Mary felt sick to her stomach as she rushed towards the limp body, her heart beating at a quick pace before she collapsed to her knees, panting heavily. It was Charlie.
She turned his damp body over that was awfully pale, the skin around his closed eyes hollow and she gripped onto his face, "I'm here. I'm right here. I've got you," She whispered, running her hands over his face but the boy was unresponsive which was when she realised his chest wasn't moving, "Charlie?" She croaked, her voice breaking as her face fell, suddenly being washed over with dread as she gripped onto his freezing cold face.
She looked over her shoulder in panic, "He's not breathing!" She cried in horror and Corina quickly hurried to her side, crouching down and taking a hold of Charlie's hand and Mary's.
"Think of home, Mary. Get us out of here."
Mary rapidly nodded, closing her eyes and imagining her trailer, right down to every little detail and soon Corina's mind was being flooded by the images as the smoke swirled around them and yet again, with a poof of smoke they had transported somewhere else.
Mary opened her eyes which widened upon realising she wasn't at her trailer and instead sitting in the middle of the stret outside the Library, still inside The Upside Down and the girl looked around, slightly damp hair hitting the side of her neck, "Corina, why are we here? This isn't home!" She exclaimed in horror, looking back down at Charlie's motionless body as her bottom lip began to tremble.
Corina seemed just as confused as her as she looked around, "I don't know." She admitted and Mary let out a weak sob of defeat before clutching tighter to Charlie's face, her body lurched over his.
"Charlie come on, wake up. Open your eyes, god dammit! Charlie!" She was screaming, tears burning in her eyes so furiously that she could hardly see as her body rattled with now panicked sobs. He wasn't waking up.
"Mary?!" The girls head snapped up, her mouth falling open and her eyes widening upon the sight of her father trudging towards her in a yellow bodysuit, an alive but barely Will Byers in his arms and Mary felt her heart sink slightly - he was alive and Charlie wasn't.
"Dad!" She cried, getting to her feet and rushing to him as Joyce now took her son, letting the tired boy sit down with an oxygen mask over his mouth.
Mary reached her father, clutching onto his arms tightly and that's when Corina realised why they were there. Mary had thought of home and she did lead her there, to her father, "He's not breathing, dad! He's not breathing!" Mary sobbed up at him, her face full of terrified desperation and Jim's eyes travelled to the body of Mary's ex-boyfriend laying on the ground before he rushed to his side and Mary stepped back.
"Mary, get down here and help me, we need to clear his airways," Jim said as he positioned himself on the ground beside Charlie. But Mary was unresponsive, she was starting to go into shock, "Mary Hopper, get your ass down here and help me save his life!" Mary slowly but surely fell down beside them, her body and hands shaking as she waited for her fathers instructions.
"I'm going to give him CPR. What I need you to do is breath into his mouth alright? You with me, baby?" He asked her, reaching over to grip the back of her head and she nodded, her skin sticky with sweat as Joyce and Corina watched the scene unfold. Jim kissed his daughters forehead, "Good girl."
"Okay, Mary. I need you to tip his head back, his chin facing up. Can you do that, sweetheart?" She nodded as her father readied himself and she tipped Charlie's head back with shaky hands, tears dripping down her cheeks, "Alright, let's go." Jim started compression's, pushing down onto Charlie's chest with his fists whilst Mary sat limply beside him, watching everything her father seemed to do but suddenly she was reminded of a distant memory.
Suddenly she was back inside that hospital room, listening to her sister flat-lining as doctors rushed around her, doing everything they possibly could to keep her alive. She could practically feel herself clinging to her parents as she roared with tears, even though she didn't fully understand what was happening.
"Mary, do you hear me? Come on, I need you to pinch his nose and breath into his mouth twice, okay? Mary, baby you can do this. Charlie needs you to do this." Her father's voice was distant as Mary's eyes glistened over with a far off look, but she slowly nodded her head before doing exactly as her father had told her, delivering breaths into Charlie's mouth, her tears dripping onto his face.
Once done she came back up for air as her father began pushing down on Charlie's chest with all he had, the second time that night he had given someone CPR and the second time he was reminded of his daughter's death. But he was trying to stay strong for the sake of his other daughter that was with him right there and then. He couldn't let her give up, so he wouldn't either, not until he was sure there was nothing else he could do.
Joyce was hugging her son to her chest, not wanting him to witness what was happening whilst Corina stood above them, watching with eyes that resembled sympathy but didn't quite reach the mark. Mary however was distraught, she had cried all of her mascara off that was smudged on her cheeks with each tear that fell from her lashes and her eyes were terribly bloodshot, her hair wet around her shoulders.
She reached out, tangling her fingers through Charlie's cold ones, "Charlie please," She pleaded him as her father pushed onto his chest, "Come back to me. Please come back." She cried, watching his face that looked as though he were just sleeping and she had the brief image of her sisters face the very same way which shattered her heart completely.
"Again, Mary." Her father ordered and she repeated the procedure of blowing into his mouth before pulling back as her father stared at her and she looked back, for a moment not quite understanding the look he was giving her before her lips parted and she tilted her head, her face falling.
"Dad, no." She whispered as the man looked down at the ground, tears in his own eyes and Mary stared down at Charlie's body before she got to her feet, turning her back and tangling her hands through her hair with a sob, her body rattling with each cry. She felt as though her heart was being broken into tiny little pieces. After everything, she couldn't save him on time.
She hung her head, tears dripping into the dirt beneath her before suddenly the sound of coughing filled her ears and she spun around as her father jumped a little, startled as Charlie's eyes flew open, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.
Mary stared down at him as he breathed, looking around in confusion as Jim sat back, breathing out in relief. Charlie sat up slowly with Jim's help before he looked upwards, his eyes landing on the girl a few feet away from him and his bottom lip trembled, "Mary?" He cried, afraid she weren't real and she pursed smiled through her tears, nodding her head before running to him and collapsing by him, the tears coming faster.
The boy reached out with a shaky hand, he breathed out heavily when his fingertips connected with her skin meaning she was real and she was there. She was looking at him with tearful eyes, her lips parted, damp hair in her face. She really thought she would never see that face again looking at her the way he was and him her, he truly thought that he'd never see Mary Hopper looking at him the way she was in that moment.
Unable to be apart any longer, Mary threw herself into Charlie's arms, wrapping her own around his neck, clinging to him tightly as if she'd never let him go whilst his hugged her waist tightly, his face pressed against her shoulder as he sighed in relief, squeezing his eyes shut. Both of them were crying onto each other, holding on as tightly as ever.
Joyce and Hopper shared relieved smiles. Joyce had gotten her son back and Mary the boy she loved.
Mary pulled back, tracing her hands over Charlie's cheeks with a small smile, "How do you feel?" She asked him, searching his eyes.
The boy cleared his throat, offering a tired smile, "Like a house fell on my head." He stated and Mary smiled at him. After all he had been through, he was still cracking jokes. He was still her Charlie.
Corina clapped her hands together, "Well, now that everyone's breathing again let's get out of here before the demogorgon shows up, shall we?" She questioned, looking around the many faces that were littered around her.
Jim squeezed his daughters shoulders before getting to his feet, "We know the way out -"
Mary looked up at him, "We know an easier way. Corina, can you do the honour?" She asked and the girl nodded before holding her hands out.
"Everyone hold hands and picture the hospital."
Jim looked at Joyce sceptically as Mary helped Charlie to his feet. The girl looked around the faces of her father, his friend, Will and Charlie, "This is going to get super freaky but it'll be over in a few seconds. Just hold on."
---
Three hours had passed since the whole ordeal of The Upside Down. After warping outside the hospital Mary had a lot of explaining to do, which she did. She told her father and Joyce all about Corina and what she could do after they had gotten Will and Charlie inside the hospital, whom due to their exhaustion had fallen unconscious.
Mary had unloaded on her father outside of the hospital, thanking him over and over for saving Charlie as she cried onto his shoulder. She wasn't sure why she still cried, maybe it was all the frustration and exhaustion built up over the week or maybe it was the relief that everyone made it out alive, or maybe she cried because they didn't. Will and Charlie had survived, but her father had told her it had been too late for Barbara Holland. So maybe it was that, maybe it was the guilt that Mary left her alone the night of the party. Mary couldn't tell why she cried, not exactly but either way, her father supported her.
After a while Mary had entered the hospital and upon seeing the kids whom were the first to arrive she had questioned where Eleven was. Mike was silent, a frown on his face as he threw himself down onto one of the chairs. So Dustin and Lucas had explained that after a showdown in the school with Hawkins Lab the demogorgon had shown up, in which Eleven had destroyed it, simultaneously destroying herself. Mary wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but she knew that Eleven was gone.
Jonathan, Steve and Nancy then showed up. Steve's eyes had widened at the sight of Mary and the boy had ran down the corridor, pushing by doctors and other people to get to her and when he did, he scooped her up into a tight embrace. The girl had been grateful and relieved, sighing onto his chest as she hugged him back, glad to have her best friend with her.
Then it was Jonathan and Nancy whom had stared at her awkwardly and quietly, not quite knowing what to say to her. Jonathan had questions, like what happens next since Charlie was back and alive and what their kiss even meant. Nancy felt guilty for her behaviour towards Mary.
Jonathan was the first to move and Mary copied his action, embracing at the same time. It weren't a hug of desperation, it was light but full of comfort and Mary pulled back before offering a smile to Nancy and holding her arms out.
"Get over here, Wheeler." The girl had laughed in relief that Mary wasn't angry with her and gave her a hug although Mary practically towered over her petite body. But still, both girls thought that at least for that night, they were maybe actually friends.
Nancy had pulled back, squeezing Mary's shoulder, "I'm happy for you." She told her before she had went in the waiting room to check up on her brother.
Mary had searched for Corina, wanting to thank the girl for all of her efforts in saving Charlie but the girl was already gone. But she didn't have time to dwell on it when Charlie's parents had came rushing inside the hospital, desperate to see their beloved son they thought they'd never see again and Mary had happily pointed them in the right direction since they were family and were allowed to see Charlie in his unconscious state.
And so, Mary retreated to the waiting room with everyone else who were just as exhausted as her. Her father had given her his Chief jacket, shielding her from the cold she still felt before she sat down in the empty seat beside Steve, sighing in content as she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and naturally, she slipped into a sleep she had desperately been needing.
Hours had passed before Mary was being gently shook awake by Steve whom had a smile on his face and she blinked up at him, yawning slightly, "Mary, Charlie's awake." His words woke her right up and the girls body straightened out before she looked across the waiting room to her father whom offered her a sincere smile and she got to her feet.
She left the room, heading for Charlie's as his parents left it and his mother smiled sweetly at her as she placed her hand on her arm, "He's been asking for you." She told her gently and Mary smiled brightly before entering the hospital room where Charlie lay in bed, multiple tubes in his arms and through his nose.
He smiled at the sight of her, sitting up a little straighter and Mary held her hand up, "Please, don't get up on my account." She joked with him before sitting on the side of the bed but Charlie just stared at her with a soft smile on his pale face.
"You're so beautiful." He whispered, reaching up to touch a strand of her tangled hair behind her ear and she smiled sweetly at him, a full toothy one that made the side of her eyes crinkle.
"Mary," Charlie started, his voice breaking as he stared up at her, as though she were the only person in the world, "You're what kept me alive in that place, you know. Just the mere thought of seeing you again.. Mary, I - I love you. I love you so much." His eyes were burning, his hand now clutching the side of her face and she found her smile growing as she leaned closer to him.
"Does this mean you're still my boyfriend?" She asked him playfully, arching a singular eyebrow and Charlie chuckled lightly, sitting up a little farther to reach her face.
"If you'll still have me." Mary answered him the best way she could. By closing the gap between them and connecting their lips together in a gentle kiss, one she thought she'd never feel from him again. She could feel the edge of his lips turn into a smile as he kissed her back, she didn't even feel the tube against her nose from his. Nothing else mattered to her in that moment.
She pulled back, her lips grazing his, "I love you too." She told him before kissing him softly, smiling against his lips.
After that, the pair spoke for hours, Mary telling him all of the drama of what had really happened over the past week. Swapping stories of their experiences, laughing at some, crying at some. But most of all, they just enjoyed the sound of each others voices again. And Charlie loved the part where she had shot the demogorgon like the badass he always knew she was.
---
Well, Charlie's alive and all is good! This is the second last chapter I recon. Although I'll post a little epilogue of what happened afterwards and at Christmas! And Mary's story will contunue through to S2!
I hope you all liked this chapter and I know many of you will be grateful that Charlie is alive, I just loved him too much to actually let him go, so in conclusion; I played ya'll